Indigenous Zn-ion Battery Technologies | 27 Aug 2024
Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR), an autonomous institute of the Department of Science and Technology (DST) has signed a MoU with Hindustan Zinc Limited (HZL).
- The MoU aims to develop new variants of zinc materials and propel the commercialization of zinc-based batteries.
Zinc-Ion Battery: A Zinc-Ion Battery is a type of rechargeable battery that uses zinc ions as the charge carrier instead of lithium and sodium ions.
- Zinc is a blue-grey, metallic element, and a good conductor of electricity.
- Sphalerite, Smithsonite, Willemite etc are ores of Zinc.
- The most common alloy is brass, which is a mixture of zinc and copper.
- Importance of Zinc-Ion Batteries:
- Cost Efficiency: It is a low-cost alternative to expensive lithium-ion batteries.
- Abundant Materials: It is abundantly available on Earth.
- Safety and Performance: Zinc-ion batteries are considered safer and offer stable performance across temperature ranges.
- Modifications Required for Commercialization of Zinc: Zinc is thermodynamically unstable with water-based solutions and therefore requires suitable modifications at the electrode, electrolyte and interfaces.
- Expected Outcomes: Researchers will explore developing new Zinc alloys for use as anodes in Zn-ion batteries and electrolytes for their application in rechargeable batteries.
- Production and uses of Zinc-Ion Batteries are aligned with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) like SDG7 and SDG13.
Read More: Lithium-ion Technology, Minerals